editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Lynn NearySun, 11 Mar 2018 09:20:25 +0000Lynn Nearyhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net
Lynn NearyIn his latest book, A Long Way From Home , Australian novelist Peter Carey takes on his country's racist past, but he gets there by a circuitous route. The book begins as a kind of madcap adventure, as the characters hit the road in a race designed to test the endurance of cars. Halfway through, the adventure turns into a confrontation with history and an odyssey of self discovery. Back in the 1980s, Carey was at a conference for playwrights when a well-known Aboriginal actor made this plea: "Don't write about us," he said to the mostly-white gathering, "you only add to the misinformation when you do." For a long time, Carey took that advice — but eventually he was convinced he had to write about Australia's mistreatment of its indigenous people. "It was only years later when I started to think, 'I can't be an Australian writer and not write about this,'" he says. "Because this is the fundamental, bloody circumstance of my country." One brutal piece of Australian history that CareyNovelist Peter Carey Confronts Dark History In 'A Long Way From Home'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/novelist-peter-carey-confronts-dark-history-long-way-home
140501 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netSat, 10 Mar 2018 13:21:00 +0000Novelist Peter Carey Confronts Dark History In 'A Long Way From Home'Lynn NearyWriter Sherman Alexie last week issued a statement admitting he "has harmed" others, after rumors and allegations began to circulate about sexual harassment. Without providing details, Alexie said "there are women telling the truth," and he apologized to the people he has hurt. Now, some of those women have come forward to speak to NPR about their experiences with him. Alexie may not be a household name, but he is one of the country's best known Native American poets and writers, with a charismatic personality and a large following. He won the National Book Award in 2007 for his young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian , and he wrote the screenplay for the film Smoke Signals , based on one of his stories. So the news about him has rocked the worlds of both Native American and children's literature. In those circles, "well, he's a rock star," says children's book author Anne Ursu. After the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment story broke, Ursu decided to survey'It Just Felt Very Wrong': Sherman Alexie's Accusers Go On The Recordhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/it-just-felt-very-wrong-sherman-alexies-accusers-go-record
140163 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netMon, 05 Mar 2018 22:31:00 +0000'It Just Felt Very Wrong': Sherman Alexie's Accusers Go On The RecordLynn NearyIt was no accident that W.E.B. Du Bois called his book The Souls Of Black Folk , says Ibram X. Kendi, author of Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History Of Racist Ideas In America . Du Bois wasn't looking for a catchy title — he was reacting to the reality of his times. "Racist Americans were making the case that black people did not have souls," Kendi says. "And the beings that did not have souls were beasts." Friday is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Du Bois, the great African-American thinker and writer. To celebrate, The Souls Of Black Folk has been republished. It's a collection of essays on black life and race relations in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. In his introduction to the new edition of The Souls Of Black Folk , Kendi writes that Du Bois wanted the world "to know the humanity of black folk." Some of the essays, like one about his time as a teacher in the rural South, vividly depict what it was like to be black. Others address theThe Enduring Lyricism Of W.E.B. Du Bois' 'The Souls Of Black Folk'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/enduring-lyricism-web-du-bois-souls-black-folk
139566 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netFri, 23 Feb 2018 10:01:00 +0000The Enduring Lyricism Of W.E.B. Du Bois' 'The Souls Of Black Folk'Lynn NearyCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: The American Library Association announced its Youth Media Awards today in Denver. A long list of authors and artists were honored for works of fiction and nonfiction for kids and young adults. The awards that always draw the most excitement and attention are the Caldecott and Newbery medals, as NPR's Lynn Neary reports. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: A gathering of true believers was on hand today to hear the announcement of the awards at the ALA's annual midwinter meeting. Loud cheers rang out as crowd favorites were honored for a range of awards from best newcomer to lifetime achievement. Nina Lindsay, who emceed the event, says some librarians had a lot invested in the winners. NINA LINDSAY: Sometimes there are controversial titles or underdogs that people have been championing for a long time. So sometimes when you hear the loudest yell in the room, it's the person who feels really vindicated that they've been talking this bookWinners Of 2018 Caldecott And Newbery Awards Announcedhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/winners-2018-caldecott-and-newbery-awards-announced
138876 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netMon, 12 Feb 2018 21:35:00 +0000Winners Of 2018 Caldecott And Newbery Awards AnnouncedLynn NearyAsymmetry is a book whose title tells the tale: It's made up of two disparate stories with no apparent connection, and a third story that just hints at the link between the two. Debut author Lisa Halliday won the prestigious Whiting Award for her work — and while you may not have heard of her, you probably have heard of Colson Whitehead, Jeffrey Eugenides, Alice McDermott and Jonathan Franzen, all of whom are fellow Whiting winners Whiting literary director Courtney Hodell says the award focuses on a certain kind of book: "Risky, adventurous important writing that's happening right now in America." Hodell says Asymmetry fits this mold perfectly. Readers may be drawn in by the two main stories, without immediately understanding how they form a novel. The first is a May-December love story set in New York; the second, a tale of displacement and war told by an Iraqi American who's been detained by authorities in London's Heathrow airport. "They're not even parallel stories," Hodell says. A Debut Author Imagines Herself Into Other Lives In 'Asymmetry'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/debut-author-imagines-herself-other-lives-asymmetry
138663 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netThu, 08 Feb 2018 21:34:00 +0000A Debut Author Imagines Herself Into Other Lives In 'Asymmetry'Lynn NearyTake a little Hitchcock and a touch of Gone Girl . Add in a mysterious author and rumors of a very big price tag. Stir them all together and you come up with a rare bird: A debut novel that hits number one on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week on the market. Brand name authors like James Patterson or Stephen King hit the top of the Times list in the first week all the time. Unknowns like The Woman in the Window , not so often. "It is very unusual," says Greg Cowles, the longtime writer of the Times' "Inside the List" column. He says the buzz has been building since a hotly contested auction for the novel, by an unknown author named A.J. Finn. Turns out that's a pseudonym for Daniel Mallory, an executive editor at William Morrow, the publishing company that bought the book. But Cowles says even with all that interest, no book is a sure bet. "You really never know despite the buzz, despite the huge advance sales, the publishers themselves never know, will this book hit.How The Man In The Apartment Hit Big With 'The Woman In The Window'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/how-man-apartment-hit-big-woman-window
137483 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netSat, 20 Jan 2018 12:58:00 +0000How The Man In The Apartment Hit Big With 'The Woman In The Window'Lynn NearyCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: At the Library of Congress today, Gene Luen Yang officially ended his tenure as national ambassador for young people's literature and handed the baton to Jacqueline Woodson. She is the sixth children's book author to hold the position. And for the next two years, she will be encouraging children and teenagers to read and to read more. NPR's Lynn Neary talked to the two writers about the job. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: Gene Luen Yang admits that when he became ambassador two years ago, he was a little disappointed. He thought the job would come with a few more perks. GENE LUEN YANG: Yeah. I thought there would be a crown and maybe, like, a helicopter of some kind, but none of that happened. NEARY: As she takes on the job, Jacqueline Woodson has no illusions about the perks. But if anything, she has higher expectations. JACQUELINE WOODSON: My hope is that by that time I'm no longer national ambassador I'll have changed the world. NEARYWhere Author Jacqueline Woodson Would Like To Take Young People's Literature In 2018http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/where-author-jacqueline-woodson-would-take-young-peoples-literature-2018
136896 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netTue, 09 Jan 2018 22:12:00 +0000Where Author Jacqueline Woodson Would Like To Take Young People's Literature In 2018Lynn NearyIt seems fitting that 2017 has been bookended by two novels about women and power. When the year began, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale , which depicts a future where women are stripped of all power, began making its way to the top of best-seller lists . As 2017 draws to a close, another dystopian novel has made it onto some prominent top ten lists: Naomi Alderman's The Power . It imagines a world in which women discover they have a weapon that makes them physically threatening to men — and that weapon changes everything. "It's some sort of electrical thing which will both hurt you, like an electric shock, and will also somehow trigger the pain centers in your brain," Alderman says. "So it's the power to cause pain by violence." Young women develop this power as they enter puberty, and it comes as a surprise. A character named Roxy uses it for the first time as she is fighting for her life: He reaches for her with one hand, the knife in the other. She gets ready to kick him orIn 'The Power,' Women Develop A Weapon That Changes Everythinghttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/power-women-develop-weapon-changes-everything
136219 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netTue, 26 Dec 2017 21:36:00 +0000In 'The Power,' Women Develop A Weapon That Changes EverythingLynn NearyBookseller's Foray Into Hollywood Is A Dickens Of A Talehttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/booksellers-foray-hollywood-dickens-tale
134532 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netMon, 27 Nov 2017 21:38:00 +0000Bookseller's Foray Into Hollywood Is A Dickens Of A TaleLynn NearyCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: The National Book Foundation offered some star power at its annual awards ceremony last night in New York - Bill Clinton, Anne Hathaway, Cynthia Nixon. But the real stars of the evening were 20 writers, nominated for prose and poetry. NPR's Lynn Neary reports. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: Writer Jacqueline Woodson isn't used to the red-carpet treatment. She's attended the awards in the past as both a nominee and a winner. This year, she was a judge for the fiction prize, but when she stepped into the spotlight, photographers wanted to know if she has set a record for wins and nominations. JACQUELINE WOODSON: I don't think so - maybe tied with someone. I don't know (laughter). UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Susan Lucci. WOODSON: Susan Lucci. Hey, Lynn, good to see you. NEARY: The National Book Awards are sometimes called the Oscars of the book industry. And Lisa Lucas, who took over as head of the National Book Foundation last year, has worked toNational Book Awards, The Industry's Oscars, Awarded In New Yorkhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/national-book-awards-industrys-oscars-awarded-new-york
133939 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netThu, 16 Nov 2017 10:07:00 +0000National Book Awards, The Industry's Oscars, Awarded In New YorkLynn NearyCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Navigating the world of young adult literature is becoming a fraught adventure. The latest skirmish started when critics of the yet to be published novel "American Heart" took to Twitter to denounce the book for cultural insensitivity. And then, the influential Kirkus Reviews got involved. NPR's Lynn Neary has the story. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: When Laura Moriarty got a starred review in Kirkus for her novel "American Heart," she was happy a critic liked her work and pleased because a good review in Kirkus can help sell books. So when Kirkus later changed the review and, in a rare move, took away her star, Moriarty says... LAURA MORIARTY: I was stunned. I couldn't believe it happened. I'd never heard of a reviewer doing that. NEARY: Kirkus' decision to remove the star came after the Twitterverse and Good Reads website exploded with sometimes vitriolic anger at Moriarty's book. The novel is set in a future where Muslims are sent toKirkus Changes Review After 'American Heart' Draws Outrage As 'White Savior Narrative'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/kirkus-changes-review-after-american-heart-draws-outrage-white-savior-narrative
132514 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netSat, 21 Oct 2017 12:48:00 +0000Kirkus Changes Review After 'American Heart' Draws Outrage As 'White Savior Narrative'Lynn NearyAmy Tan loves jazz and classical music. "I have a Steinway, which was my life's dream," she says, sitting at her grand piano in the middle of her New York living room. When Tan listens to a piece of music, she imagines stories to go with it, so she always listens when she writes. Tan is best known for novels that focus on mother-daughter relationships and Chinese-American culture — novels like 1989's The Joy Luck Club . Her latest book, Where the Past Begins, is a writer's memoir. In it, Tan delves into her past to uncover the sources of her own creativity. She says she wrote her new memoir to the tune of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 3 in D minor, a piece she used to hate. Today, the concerto reminds her of her past. "This is my mother; this is my life; these are the moods; and this is where I went. This is me as a young woman." Tan may love music now , but she hated it growing up. Back then, she had to practice piano every day, and felt burdened by her parents' aspirations forAmy Tan Revisits The Roots Of Her Writing Career In 'Where The Past Begins'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/amy-tan-revisits-roots-her-writing-career-where-past-begins
132224 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netMon, 16 Oct 2017 19:01:00 +0000Amy Tan Revisits The Roots Of Her Writing Career In 'Where The Past Begins'Lynn NearyWhen Ta-Nehisi Coates' new book, We Were Eight Years in Power, was released last week, there was a big party — bigger than most book parties, because this event was also celebrating the launch of a new venture for Chris Jackson, the editor who has helped make Coates famous. Most people outside the world of publishing probably won't recognize Jackson's name, but they might recognize some of the writers he has edited, from celebrity rapper Jay Z to literary fiction star Edwidge Danticat. And of course there is Coates, who seems to be everywhere right now. Jackson jokingly introduced him from the stage at the event as "a writer ... he's written a few books," and the audience laughed appreciatively. Jackson published Coates' first book, and more recently, Between the World and Me , which won the National Book Award and became a best-seller. "He is directly responsible for any success I've had, unquestionably, I couldn't have done it without him," Coates says. Coates is following Jackson toChris Jackson And The Book Industry's Attempts To Diversifyhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/chris-jackson-and-book-industrys-attempts-diversify
131635 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netThu, 12 Oct 2017 09:34:00 +0000Chris Jackson And The Book Industry's Attempts To DiversifyLynn NearyCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: The Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded. It goes to British writer Kazuo Ishiguro. In making the announcement this morning, the Swedish Academy cited Ishiguro's, quote, "novels of great emotional force." They said the books uncover the, quote, "abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world." NPR's Lynn Neary joins us now in studio to talk about the prize. Hi, Lynn. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: Hi, good to be here. MARTIN: So last year's winner was Bob Dylan. This is a different kind of winner. He's not completely unknown, though, in the U.S., as is sometimes the case. NEARY: No. I think that a lot of people will recognize Ishiguro's name. They'll be familiar with it because two of his best-known novels have been adapted into films, most notably "Remains Of The Day," which was adapted by Merchant Ivory in 1993, starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, and "Never Let Me Go," based on his 2005 novel of the sameBritish Writer Kazuo Ishiguro Wins Nobel Prize In Literaturehttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/nobel-prize-literature-be-announced
131263 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netThu, 05 Oct 2017 09:02:00 +0000British Writer Kazuo Ishiguro Wins Nobel Prize In LiteratureLynn NearyCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: The Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced tomorrow in Stockholm. And as usual, the British betting agency Ladbrokes is driving the speculation on who might win. No matter that Ladbrokes rarely gets it right. The Nobel committee is famous for its surprising choices. Last year's winner was Bob Dylan. Still, some names get mentioned every year. NPR's Lynn Neary looks at this year's top contenders. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: It's been quite a year for Margaret Atwood. A television adaptation of her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" was a huge success, and the book, first published more than 30 years ago, is back near the top of best-seller lists. That may be why her chance of winning the Nobel this year looks pretty good. It's also why fans like Karma Waltonen are on tenterhooks. KARMA WALTONEN: I mean, this is something that all Atwood fans have waited for for a really long time. And even in years when other writers that we love win, itNo Shortlist Of Nominees For The Nobel Prize In Literaturehttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/no-shortlist-nominees-nobel-prize-literature
131239 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netWed, 04 Oct 2017 20:47:00 +0000No Shortlist Of Nominees For The Nobel Prize In LiteratureLynn NearyCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit AILSA CHANG, HOST: Novelist Nicole Krauss has always admired the writings of Franz Kafka. In her new book, "Forest Dark," she gives him a second life in Israel. Kafka is not the only character to get a shot at a new life. The novel tells a story of an older man and a younger woman, each going through a crisis that brings them to the same hotel in Tel Aviv. From there, they launch separate journeys in search of answers. NPR's Lynn Neary has more. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: Nicole Krauss lives just minutes from Brooklyn's Prospect Park. On the day we met, the park was livelier than usual as people gathered to watch the eclipse. NICOLE KRAUSS: Should we put our glasses on so we can see? We're going to the park now. NEARY: Krauss comes to the park every day and says the meadow where we stop to watch is usually pretty empty. UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Mom, I just (unintelligible). NEARY: Though it was crowded, it was not stirring with the same energy Krauss imaginesIn 'Forest Dark,' A Building In Israel Connects 2 Searching Soulshttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/forest-dark-building-israel-connects-2-searching-souls
130178 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netThu, 14 Sep 2017 20:38:00 +0000In 'Forest Dark,' A Building In Israel Connects 2 Searching SoulsLynn NearyCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Next, we have the story of a conservative powerhouse accusing The New York Times of getting facts wrong and being biased. And no, I am not talking about President Trump. This is the latest drama in the world of books. NPR's Lynn Neary explains why Regnery Publishing says it is breaking up with The New York Times best-seller list. LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: In a letter to its authors, which includes such conservative stars as Dinesh D'Souza, Laura Ingraham and Newt Gingrich, Regnery said it will no longer track the Times best-seller list or use it in promoting books. That's a nervy step to take because the Times best-seller list has clout, as Regnery publisher Marji Ross acknowledges. MARJORY ROSS: There is a certain cachet and a certain sort of bragging rights that an author has when they hit the New York Times best-seller list or become a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. NEARY: But Ross is convinced that the Times best-sellerConservative Publisher Quits 'NYT' Best-Seller Listhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/conservative-publisher-quits-nyt-best-seller-list
129782 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netThu, 07 Sep 2017 09:52:00 +0000Conservative Publisher Quits 'NYT' Best-Seller ListLynn NearyGeorge Smiley is back. For the first time in 25 years, John le Carré has written a new novel featuring the spy at the center of some his most popular books. The new release, A Legacy of Spies , is a kind of prequel to The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1963), the book that made le Carré famous and changed spy novels forever. In A Legacy of Spies , le Carré goes deep into Smiley's past, re-examining the role he and his cohorts played in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold , a story of betrayal and deception that ends badly at the Berlin Wall. Journalist and spy novelist David Ignatius says The Spy Who Came in From the Cold opened up the world of espionage and revealed tactics that were often morally questionable. He says Smiley was always a different kind of spy. He wasn't dashing or womanizing like James Bond; instead, Ignatius says, he was a "rumpled, almost professorial student of German manuscripts. His wife was unfaithful to him. He lived in this little house on Bywater Street. HeIn 'A Legacy Of Spies,' John Le Carré Goes Back Out In 'The Cold'http://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/legacy-spies-john-le-carr-goes-back-out-cold
129653 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netTue, 05 Sep 2017 09:04:00 +0000In 'A Legacy Of Spies,' John Le Carré Goes Back Out In 'The Cold'Lynn NearyIf you've seen the hit musical Hamilton — or even if you've only heard about it — you might want to know more about the founding father who was the United States' first Secretary of the Treasury. And if so, the Library of Congress just made it easier to go right to the source. Before, if you wanted to see — for example — Alexander Hamilton's letters to his wife, you had to travel to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and even then, you'd have to view them on microfilm. Now, Julie Miller, the library's curator of early American manuscripts, says the collection has been digitized. "The web site is meant to open these up to a much broader public," she tells me — and given the increased interest in Hamilton, the timing is no accident. Miller says the musical's enormous popularity motivated the library to make approximately 12,000 Hamilton documents available on the Internet. At a briefing, Miller and members of the library's digital team lay out some of the original documentsI Saved Every Letter You Wrote Me: The Library of Congress Digitizes Hamiltonhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/i-saved-every-letter-you-wrote-me-library-congress-digitizes-hamilton
129252 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netTue, 29 Aug 2017 09:09:00 +0000I Saved Every Letter You Wrote Me: The Library of Congress Digitizes HamiltonLynn NearyBe More Than A Bookstore: A Brick-And-Mortar Shop's Key To Successhttp://delmarvapublicradio.net/post/be-more-bookstore-brick-and-mortar-shops-key-success
128440 as http://delmarvapublicradio.netTue, 15 Aug 2017 09:01:00 +0000Be More Than A Bookstore: A Brick-And-Mortar Shop's Key To Success